The fallout from Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s recent visit to Kyiv shows no signs of abating—particularly over the curious detail that Tusk traveled in a separate rail car from other European leaders, including the British Prime Minister, the French President, and the German Chancellor.
What many perceived as a diplomatic embarrassment—or even a humiliation for Tusk—has sparked a flurry of commentary. While critics view the seating arrangement as a slight, voices close to the December 13 coalition have tried to shift blame onto the Ukrainian side, claiming it was Kyiv that decided where each leader would sit. Some have even suggested the separate car was an honor for Tusk, allegedly seen as “Putin’s greatest enemy,” and thus deserving of heightened security measures. However, these explanations have largely failed to convince the broader public.
Among the skeptics is Adrian Zandberg, MP and co-leader of the left-wing Razem party, who called the entire episode “strange.” Zandberg is urging Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify what happened.
“Are we really supposed to accept that, just because the train was arranged by the Ukrainian side, we had no say in the matter?” Zandberg asked, speaking to Do Rzeczy. “Frankly, I find that puzzling. I would have expected Polish intelligence, diplomacy, and the institutions responsible for our foreign policy to work to avoid such awkward situations.”
He continued: “When Poland travels in a different car than leaders playing a key role in international diplomacy, that’s not a good look. I’m not here to make sweeping accusations—I don’t know all the details—but I do believe the Foreign Ministry owes the public a thorough explanation. And we should also signal to our Ukrainian partners that such gestures shouldn’t happen again.”
Zandberg, who has grown increasingly critical of the December 13 coalition in recent months, also noted that he would not support Tusk’s government if a confidence vote were held today.